US 2008/0165823 A1 · Temperature Sensor Bow Compensation

Abstract

The output of a solid-state temperature sensor is the ratio of a voltage proportional to a reference voltage. The solid-state temperature sensor used diodes in its sensing and reference circuits, however, these diodes exhibit a second order behavior that causes the temperature sensor output response to deviate from an ideal straight line. This output response deviation has a characteristic error curve that is shaped like a parabola. An offset that varies opposite to that of the temperature sensor output response deviation may be determined and applied in the digital domain as offset compensation after the temperature has been conversed to a digital value with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). By adding this offset compensation to the digital output of the ADC, digital representations of the measured temperatures will track more linearly.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for correcting temperature measurement error of a solid-state temperature sensor, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a solid-state temperature sensor capable of producing a plurality of temperature output values, wherein each one of the plurality of temperature output values represents a respective temperature that the solid-state temperature sensor can measure;
(b) determining a vertex value from an error curve of the plurality of temperature output values;
(c) subtracting the vertex value from a presently measured one of the plurality of temperature output values;
(d) squaring the result of step (c);
(e) dividing the result of step (d) by a scaler value, wherein the scaler value is chosen to produce a corrected value thereof;
and
(f) adding the result of step (e) to the presently measured one of the plurality of temperature output values to produce a corrected temperature output value thereof.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Temperature Sensor Bow Compensation

Life of this patent

Temperature Sensor Bow Compensation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9